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to recognize outstanding students at Honors Convocation
4/15/08
DENTON —
Texas Woman’s University will recognize student artistry
and academic excellence during Honors Convocation ceremonies
Thursday, April 24. Convocation begins at 10 a.m. in the Margo
Jones Performance Hall, located at Oakland and Sawyer streets
on TWU’s Denton campus.
Crystal Reyes of
Houston will receive the Pauline Bishop Leman Memorial Award
for outstanding artistic achievement. Outstanding Senior Awards,
which are based on academic excellence and involvement in
extracurricular activities, will go to Tiffanie Choate of
Flower Mound, Christianne Kellett of Fort Worth, Michelle
Savolainen of Coppell and Isabelle Sislak of Keller.
Debbie Arbique of DeSoto, Terri White of Lewisville and Joshua
Wooten of Denton will receive Outstanding Graduate Student
Awards.
Crystal
Reyes
Ms. Reyes
will graduate in fall 2008 with a bachelor of arts in dance
with teacher certification. She plans to continue to work
toward a master of fine arts degree in dance at TWU, and hopes
to become a professional dancer.
Ms. Reyes is a member of both Dance Works, TWU’s pre-professional
dance company, and the International Dance Company, which
performs at campus and community events as well as lecture
demonstrations at schools throughout Texas. She also was selected
to perform and present programs with the International Dance
Company at two National Dance Association conventions in Baltimore
and Fort Worth. Ms. Reyes was named to “Who’s
Who Among American Colleges and Universities” in 2008.
She is a member of the American College Dance Festival, as
well as Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and the
Professional Association in Education.
“Over the past three years, I have had the extreme pleasure
of watching Crystal grow into an artist beyond her years,”
said Dr. Linda Caldwell, TWU associate professor of dance.
“She has not only excelled academically, she has also
used her talent and integrity to serve as a role model for
other students.”
Tiffanie Choate
Ms. Choate will graduate in May with a bachelor of business
administration degree with an emphasis in human resources.
She holds a 3.886 grade point average.
Ms. Choate served as president of TWU’s Student Government
Association (SGA) from 2005-07. During that time, she successfully
led the university’s Fitness and Recreation Referendum
initiative, which included giving presentations to the Texas
State House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate.
She was named an Outstanding Campus Leader in 2007. She is
a member of TWU’s Honors Scholar Program, Alpha Omicron
Pi International Fraternity, Gamma Beta Phi Honor and Service
Society, Athenian Honor Society and Girl Scouts of America.
She currently is the assistant manager of a large retail store
in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and plans to attend law school
in the future.
“Tiffanie represents the best kind of student leader
— one who maintains priorities, works hard and uses
her talents to support her fellow students and university,”
said Dr. Alfred G. Litton, director of the TWU Honors Scholar
Program.
Christianne Kellett
Ms. Kellett will graduate in May with a bachelor’s of
arts degree in government with an emphasis in legal studies
and a bachelor's of science degree in marketing. She holds
a 3.822 GPA, and plans to attend graduate school and earn
a joint master’s degree in public affairs and business
administration.
Ms. Kellett has served as the student regent on the TWU Board
of Regents since February 2007. She was named an Outstanding
Campus Leader in 2006-07 and served as SGA president in 2007-08.
She is a member of the TWU Honors Scholar Program and the
Athenian Honor Society, and was the sole student employee
at the TWU Leadership Institute from 2006-07. Ms. Kellett
also completed a congressional internship with U.S. Rep. Michael
Burgess in 2007. She currently serves as an intern in cause-related
marketing at the international headquarters of Susan G. Komen
for the Cure in Dallas.
“Christianne is certainly one of the most driven and
successful students I have known,” said Dr. David Rylander,
associate professor in the TWU School of Management. “Along
with her extensive accomplishments, she is also a good person
and a joy to be around.”
Michelle Savolainen
Ms. Savolainen, a business management major, graduated summa
cum laude in December 2007 with a 3.927 GPA. She currently
is employed as a Project Management Assistant for Rail Signal
Systems in Fort Worth and eventually plans to earn a master’s
degree in business administration.
Ms. Savolainen was a member of TWU’s Honors Scholars
Program and the Athenian Honor Society. She also was a member
of the Golden Key Honour Society and Phi Kappa Phi, and held
officer positions with Sigma Beta Delta, Kappa Epsilon Mu
and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She received
an Outstanding Campus Leader Award in 2006 and served as the
senior editor of the research journal for the National Society
of Collegiate Scholars. Ms. Savolainen was a member of TWU
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team from 2005-2007 and
created the annual report for the 2007 SIFE Regional Competition.
She also volunteers at Operation Kindness, a no-kill animal
shelter in Carrollton.
“A hallmark trait of Michelle is that she shines in
the academic and extra-curricular arena,” said Dr. Alfred
G. Litton, director of TWU’s Honors Scholar Program.
“Also impressive is the fact that she was able to maintain
a nearly perfect GPA while also being one of the most active
students on campus. She is precisely the kind of student we
want representing TWU.”
Isabelle Sislak
Ms. Sislak,
a nursing major, will graduate in May with a 3.9 GPA. She
plans to work in the cardiac/intensive care unit of Harris
Methodist Hospital and will pursue a master’s degree
in nursing at TWU in the fall.
As a member of the Texas Nursing Students Association, Ms.
Sislak helped raise money and buy supplies for school nurses
in Dallas County elementary schools. She also worked with
the March of Dimes, meeting with members of the Texas Legislature
regarding children’s health issues. She tutored her
fellow TWU students in pharmacology, and used that experience
to develop and sell pharmacology review cards. The $3,000
raised through this project was donated to her graduating
class pinning ceremony fund. Ms. Sislak also organized a review
course for the College of Nursing exit exam.
“Without a doubt, Isabelle personifies excellence in
nursing,” said Laurie Galatas, assistant clinical professor
in the TWU College of Nursing at Dallas. “For Isabelle
excellence is not defined solely by academic achievement.
It encompasses the passionate pursuit of meaningful service
to others and the deep desire to live life with integrity,
humility, honor and character.
Debbie Arbique
Ms. Arbique, RN, a master’s candidate in nursing, holds
a 3.76 GPA. After receiving her master degree, she plans to
pursue a doctorate in nursing at TWU and also hopes to become
an adjunct faculty member for TWU’s family nurse practitioner
program.
Ms. Arbique is a member of the TWU’s Phi Kappa Phi Society
and Sigma Theta Tau International — Honor Society of
Nursing. She also received the TWU Virginia Chandler Dykes
Award for Scholastic Achievement in 2007.
She is employed by the U.T. Southwestern Medical Center as
the clinical nurse and case manager in the hypertension clinic
and as a research nurse/research coordinator. Ms. Arbique
also is a member of 13 different nurses associations including
the Emergency Nurses Association,
International Association of Forensic Nurses and Texas Nurses
Association.
“Debbie is an exceptional nurse and graduate student,”
said Dr. Sherry Carter, associate professor and master’s
program coordinator for TWU’s College of Nursing in
Dallas. “I could always count on her exceeding expectations
for herself, as well as mentoring other students to help them
meet their educational goals. She is extremely deserving of
this award.”
Terri White
Ms. White, RN, MS, FNP-C, a doctoral candidate in nursing,
holds a 4.0 GPA. She plans to teach at the university level,
while continuing to practice and perform research on osteoporosis
and bone health among older adults.
Ms. White was one of two students from the U.S. and Canada
to receive a Graduate Student Recognition Award from the Association
of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) in 2007. She is
a member of ARHP and Sigma Theta Tau International —
Honor Society of Nursing. She has been published extensively,
with articles appearing in “Pain Management Nursing,”
“Research in Nursing and Health,” the “Journal
of Nursing Scholarship” and the “Journal of Gerontological
Nursing.”
“Terri has demonstrated a commitment to building a productive
career as a faculty member, scholar and practitioner in nursing,”
said Dr. Gail Davis, professor in the TWU College of Nursing
in Denton. “Her work throughout the doctoral program
distinguishes her as deserving of this prestigious award.”
Joshua Wooten
Mr. Wooten, a doctoral candidate in exercise physiology, holds
a 3.753 GPA. He currently serves as a graduate teaching assistant
for TWU’s Kinesiology Department and as a research associate
for the TWU Institute of Women’s Health. Mr. Wooten’s
research focuses on the prevention of heart disease and type
2 diabetes in women. He plans to teach and perform research
at the university level, while promoting research to both
undergraduate and graduate students.
Mr. Wooten was a Chancellor’s Research Scholar at TWU
in 2005 and was named an Outstanding Ph.D. student by the
TWU Department of Kinesiology that same year. The Texas Chapter
of the American College of Sports Medicine also has recognized
his research. Mr. Wooten is a member of TWU’s Phi Kappa
Phi, the American Heart Association, American Physiological
Society and the American College of Sports Medicine, where
he has held several officer positions.
“Josh is not only a distinguished scholar, he excels
in the classroom, as illustrated by the evaluations of his
students,” said Dr. Kyle Biggerstaff, assistant professor
and coordinator, exercise and sports nutrition for TWU’s
Department of Kinesiology. “He is outstanding and well
deserving of this award.”
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Media Contact:
Amanda Simpson
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: asimpson1@twu.edu |
